Preparations for Manny Pacquiao‘s planned fight with Floyd Mayweather are already underway, but there is one former champion who believes that he will still face the Filipino icon before Mayweather.
Earlier this year, Mayweather’s shock professional comeback was announced nearly a decade after he hung up the gloves, with a rematch against familiar foe Pacquiao set for The Sphere in Las Vegas this September – with his fabled 50-0 record on the line.
However, this month it become clear that Mayweather wanted the fight to be an exhibition, despite apparently signing a contract for a professional fight, leading to much confusion as to whether the event will go ahead at all.
It was also announced earlier this year that Pacquiao was set to partake in an exhibition against former WBO super-lightweight world champion Ruslan Provodnikov, to reduce his inactivity ahead of the Mayweather rematch.
The pair were set to meet last Saturday, until the cancellation of the fight, but Provodnikov told World Boxing News that he still believes the bout will take place in June.
“It’s disappointing that the fight won’t take place in April, but I’m hopeful it will happen in June. I really hope so, and I believe it.”
“We’ve prepared everything. As soon as they give the go-ahead, I’ll pack my bag and be ready to fly to America with my team.”
Like Pacquiao, Mayweather also plans on fighting in exhibitions before their rematch, but he may be restricted to two outings rather than his planned three.
